Kia Stinger production rumoured to end next April

Fresh concerns over the Kia Stinger’s apparent demise have surfaced in Korea, suggesting the large rear-wheel drive sports sedan will go out of production in April next year.

Citing slow sales and Kia’s pending electrification onslaught, Korean media outlet Auto Times is claiming the Stinger will be indirectly replaced by a “next-generation coupe-type electric sedan in 2025”, potentially leaving Kia without a flagship four-door for 24 to 30 months.

Kia executives have previously said the Kia EV6 GT high-performance electric SUV would serve a similar role within the range going forward in terms of a flagship GT model, albeit in a different segment.

Contrary to the Korean and US data mentioned within the Auto Times report, Stinger sales are booming in Australia, where the big four-door has notched up 1942 deliveries so far this year – 443 more than in Korea over the same period.

And it seems there are plenty more orders waiting to be filled, judging by the five- to 12-month wait times nominated by several dealers contacted by carsales.

Kia Australia chief operating officer Damien Meredith was pleased by the increased demand for what’s now the only mainstream rear-drive sports sedan left on the market and recently said there’d been no official word on the Stinger’s retirement from global headquarters.

“We haven’t received official news from Kia HQ around production so we can’t comment on the future of Stinger; any further info will be disclosed in due course,” he said.

“As is the case with all Kia models, local demand for Stinger remains strong, while wait times are fluid and vary depending on several supply chain factors.”

Meredith has been an advocate for the Stinger’s continued production and success in recent times, telling carsales back in June that he’d “be heartbroken” if it was discontinued and that he expected the slinky sedan to still be in showrooms next year.

How long that would remain the case wasn’t expanded on, but if the Auto Times report proves accurate, the last new Stingers be handed over in the final quarter of next year.

Rumours around the future of the Stinger, which was first launched in 2017, have been circulating for several years now – despite the seemingly ideal launch timing of the large four- and six-cylinder sedan following the axing of the locally-built Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon.

The Stinger triumphantly restored order to Australia’s once-dominant large-car segment – especially the flagship turbo V6-powered GT with its V8-baiting power and torque figures, low centre of gravity and rear-drive configuration.

Queensland Police quickly enlisted the Stinger for highway patrol and other duties, and as recently as August nine examples joined the Tasmania Police highway patrol fleet.

The Stinger is just one of two sub-$70,000 large cars left on the Aussie market alongside the Skoda Superb, but given the latest intel out of Korea it remains to be seen how much longer before the Skoda becomes an only child.

Join the conversation at 

our Facebook page

Or email us at 

editor@carsales.com.au